Geneva, May 19, 2008 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) that it has selected additional suppliers for the new, large cabin, intercontinental Model 850 Citation Columbus.
Vought Aircraft Industries of Dallas will design and produce the aircraft's wing. Cessna's Citation X currently uses upper and lower wing panel assemblies manufactured at Vought's Nashville facility, where the Columbus wing manufacturing also will take place.
A division of the Goodrich Corporation based in Oakville, Ontario, has a contract to design and manufacture the aircraft's landing gear. Goodrich's wheels and brakes are on many Cessna business jets.
Argo-Tech Corporation, based in Costa Mesa, Calif., and a business segment of the Eaton Corporation, will design and produce the fuel system for the Columbus. This will be the first complete fuel system the company delivers to Cessna, although Argo-Tech supplies fuel system components for several Citations.
"The Citation Columbus team is on schedule to finalize supplier agreements to achieve FAA certification by the end of 2013, and deliveries beginning in 2014," said Joe Hepburn, program manager, Citation Columbus. "The selection of Vought, Goodrich and Argo-Tech represents long-term relationships with companies and people who have proven their ability to meet Cessna's high standards of quality."
Cessna previously announced it had reached an agreement in principle with Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE: SPR) to produce the Columbus' fuselage and empennage. Agreements have since been signed with Spirit AeroSystems Inc. for the fuselage and Spirit AeroSystems Europe Ltd. for the empennage.
In March, Cessna selected Parker Aerospace's Control Systems Division to design and manufacture the Model 850's powered flight control system. It is the first aircraft in the Citation family to be equipped with a hybrid fly-by-wire flight control system developed by Cessna that works with conventional hydraulic actuation to enhance safety and performance capabilities.
The Citation Columbus will debut Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW810 engine, which will make the Columbus the most fuel efficient aircraft in its class. Pilots will also find unprecedented levels of operational efficiency and flight deck capability with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion™ advanced avionics system.
The Columbus is expected to be the only aircraft in its class capable of 7,408 kilometers (4,000 nautical miles) non-stop at Mach .80. Preliminary performance numbers set a maximum cruise speed of 904 kilometers per hour (486 knots), a maximum operating speed of Mach .86, a full fuel payload of 885 kilograms (1,950 pounds) and takeoff field length of 1,646 meters (5,400 feet) at maximum takeoff weight.
Configurable for up to 10 passengers, the Model 850 will have a cabin length of 11.1 meters (36.3 feet) including interior baggage space. Cessna's engineering team and its suppliers have designed the clean-sheet Columbus to be one of the most advanced, fuel-efficient, cleanest business jets.Source: Cessna Announces Additional Suppliers for Citation Columbus Program